From June until September..Max..Noah..Lucas..Adamo,Giuliana,Mylène and Oli..celebrate birthdays..That's a lot of birthdays♥That's our entire social life..honestly.They are my friends and family.We have the family gatherings..they all have one..or two..and Jacques and I have the tradition of taking the Little out for lunch and gift.I Love that day!So all that happened..Good weather..bad weather..cold weather.August has been our September.I mean it.Anyway..s? Which is correct?Last post I was 10.This post I have a 42 yr old.How on earth did that happen?I am.. surprised:)Believe it..time marches on.It is true.So during the summer..I have become smitten w/ naked cakes..small naked cakes..the Wilton 6 inch cakes..and so has one of my daughter's..see the Smarties spilling over cake?How cute!Lucas' 12th.I have become smitten w/ Half Baked Harvest's Summer guacamole presentation..I made Ina's guac... NO CILANTRO..and I used LIME juice...but HBH's presentation?♥..sooooo sorry I did not take a post blueberry addition photo..I had washed them..and put them aside to dry..and added before presenting..keeper..my girls said keeper...w/ all those gorgeous blueberries on top..quite a pic.I have to make again..LOL..I and everyone else..loved..I made spring rolls with this sauce..Thanks CHRIS!!EVERYONE loved it! Drinkable!Mary Berry's mini cakes.. coffee and walnut..I made signs for the desserts..Thelemon layer cake was tart and delish..You can see my naked cake and decorations above..I made my own lemon icing found elsewhere..and my microwave curd.Anything cuter than Sprinkles? Apart from sweet 16 Giuliana?♥And that white cake covered in flowers from our gardens..Ii's actually a real watermelon..cut like a cake and iced w/ vanilla bean whipped cream..I found it on Instagram..I can't look at IG constantly..but when I do..inspiration abounds!Too much!!We need to celebrate darling Oli ..darling Oli..and that's it..for summer.

The gardens are kind of forlorn..not kind of.. :( I see pics of my friends' Susan's gardens and think..you have slacked off :) LOL I didn't at the beginning..it's once I harvested my garlic..all the bare patches!Looking way more like September..and it's been cool.The tomatoes are at a standstill w/ no ripening..I swear I wish each day had 48 hours.I think I just love too many crafts for one person.Jacques:) of some trades..master of none.There is so much I love doing..photography..stitching..painting..stamping..cooking..baking gardening..I have no time for reading.I met someone who..is soo into crafting that it was joyful for me to see her areas of crafting.Her whole basement is professionnally finished w...cabinetry and closets and countertops.And her inventory is astounding.She once owned a craft store..and is immensely talented.I have never in my life seen so many stamps etc..papers..so ORGANIZED..like treasures.My art supplies are small treasures and I am so grateful to have some.I was happy for her.It is nice to see passion.I haven't seen it a lot lately..not showing homes anymore as I did for almost 30 yrs..I only interact w/ neighbours and family..No one close is so into something..Nancy was w/ paints etc..I bought stamps from this lady I just met and sticky tags.(Cavallini)..her personal inventory is top quality.Such a feeling of peace in her areas..I went to pick them up and stayed over 2 hours.Jacques could not understand it I think..I couldn't leave..honest conversation and then the basement:)Marie you would have flipped:)Thanks again Dorothy!On another note one of my girls was limping..we have a fox you see..I think the fox may have frightened her and she may have stumbled..I Googled..and that blog I love came up..I don''t know anyone on earth who does as much as she does..anyway..I only did the aspirin part..half a baby..and Bécassine is as good as new!What did we do before Google?And the internet?Take care..that's it in a big nutshell for me these days..plus GOT ..and Ray Donovan..a friend recommended a Netflix movie..Sophie and The Rising Sun..and I thoroughly enjoyed it..great cast♥Worth watching.I watch tv one hour every night..that's it..the latter I watched in bed on my mini Ipad..:)You might like it~Ok now that's really it:)

Friday, August 4, 2017

There were parts of my childhood I loved..and some I didn't..maybe many of us feel this way..I do remember being loved unconditionally by my mom and dad although my mom was the rock.The family.She held it together so beautifully and gracefully.So that's a great memory.A nice memory I have ..was a time in my life between 10-12 I think..my BFF lol (we didn't say that back then..) was Gwen..I mentioned her here on my blog..on a post..on a few posts actually..she was Dutch..her yard bordered on ours..I think 3 yards did..we had small lots..compared to here..we became friends at that fun age..still all innocent.This was 50 yrs ago..I did see her once..briefly..in '77 I think..and we lost touch.She lived in the Netherlands.Email wasn't a thing etc..no FB..no IG..no US lol.Anyway to make a long story short..(who am I kidding..short?)..one day her husband Googled her name for some reason..and my blog post showed up..she emailed..I emailed back..and forth..and guess what?They came to Canada for a visit and dropped by:)Last week.It was so nice to see her ..after all these years..when we were children,her parents were also..so nice to me..They would bring me back charms when they returned to Holland..You can see the shoe in one photo and one of the two windmills in the other.They gave me dropjes..:) And Gouda cheese sliced ever so thinly..oh I wanted to eat it all♥Ollibollens..OMG..fried on their back balcony.And speculaas..I could eat all the tin windmills I wanted.I loved everything about them..the family..Gwen was so lucky..she had a sister:)Not me:(When they visited..they brought me dropjes and speculaas spice:)But not only that..she brought photos I gave her in the 70's..and she brought me memories..How she remembered the FIESTA chip tin and how she begged her mom for some because I had some..How she found me so lucky to have the Barbie Fashion Shop..and all my Barbies:)How we had our message box out back and would leave secret messages to each other.Modern day Nancy Drews we were:)She made me have tears:)How she never remembered I was overweight.Isn't that funny..she didn't ever even notice.That's a BFF.At what age do we start to notice differences and make fun of them?Not all of us do..But I had my share of those who did.Notice.She didn't!!So anyway..all this to say..it was so nice..she and her husband..so nice..Jacques and I loved our time w/ them here albeit short and rainy.A gardener wants the sun to be shining so we can sit outside and see the blooms and the girls:)We sat inside:)They biked over..how neat is that..not from next door either..my friend and her dear husband are tall and fit:) Parents and grandparents like we are.I am happy to report that every day..since they have been here after that day I think..the weather has been fantastic.I made cookies the next day:)I was going to leave the recipe..but although they tasted like speculaas..they were not..too thick ..too chewey..we still ate them..:)It was found on the net..I'll test again.The tin was a Varage Sale find:)♥It has a bell♥That was me ..and Gwen's mom handing me cookies:)So feast or famine here rain wise..famine right now..for our area..anyway..the Japanese Anemones are blooming..the dahlias..are starting their show in that front bed where my Tuscan hedge is;)If you plant a Paul Farges clematis get ready for a spectac show..but almost prohibits entering the archway;)

The Wave petunias..are ohmygosh florabundance!Every couple of years I seem to have to tackle removing some of the overgrowth on our many pathways..what a %^$#@^&*( job.Done..that area is done.I am addicted to crochet and dishcloths..liking to make sets..of course..Our darling Lucas turns 12..we took him for his traditional lunch and shop day.I am sitting with a very fine young gentleman now.He makes my heart beat...burst..they all do..but when you have a grandson that now opens doors for you..still kisses you..even takes your hand in public..well ..and he is almost as tall as me...it's a different beat..a teen age beat I guess!Love those chocolate bars I first saw on Bridgets beautiful blog Bake at 350..I bought some when we went to the USA.Perfect to add to cards.That photograph book was mine grade 6..I know because it is written inside..I have 2 pics of Gwen in it:)

Hello Gwen!.... And hello Guido!She was so cute..now she is beautiful..long curly hair..so tall..and slim..and nice.I wish I still had all that stuff that was in my room..that bénitier..the little angel on the wall held holy water..a first communion gift I guess..pink wings w/ gold accents..the two bambis from when I was born on top I still have..it was a vase..and is:) I am sure that is my girl w/ the parasol in the middle china..and the flowers on her skirt were raised..where the heck is she?..that dresser had 2 sliding glass panels.I put my precious things in there.. my Comtesse de Ségur books and Nancy Drews..an eclectic mix;)a long drawer..my Prismacolors and paper and pencils were in there..notes and finds etc.. 2 doors at the bottom..my clothes.I want all that stuff back,I want to look and touch and hold everything.If even for a moment.Have a beautiful weekend..week..etc..hard to post every week..have to cut down..gardens..chickens..painting..stitching..birthdays...so many birthdays!

Friday, July 28, 2017

And the rain pelted for and entire night and day..the gardens were left in disarray..much to my dismay..Ok too poetic..a mess..hosta blooms knocked down..tomatoes engorged with water ..not sun nor warmth..I communicated w/ my Smurf seed purveyor and she attests a bad year so far for tomatoes..bounty may be late September..they need the latter two things to turn..warmth and sun..A lot of the gardens are finished already:(Why why why why why..is this year's summer Jetsoning by?Today is nice and I will clean up places..that look tired..Jacques will mow..The dinner plate dahlias..are definitely not dinner plates..and not really my colors..but that's all they had:(I cleaned all the garlic yesterday afternoon..quite a sight..we love it's perfume in the house..I cut the roots and stem..and gently rub to clean.End of Oct I will plant..and the cycle starts again as long as I can.I have saved one basket of 25 bulbs to plant which should give me a little over 100 next yr again God willing.We eat it ALL.We had a lovely visit yesterday..I need time to write about it and not hurry the memory along.Next post I hope.We are celebratingAdamo's 18th birthday this weekend and Giuliana's 16th.I am repeating myself endlessly..but talk about speed of light .These two are such lovely young adults♥I made a rolled carrot cake for Jacques..next time I will grate my carrots smaller..I used my mom's hand crank grater that I LOVE:)But it made the cake extra moist..You can find the recipe many places..in French at Isa's place and in English here.Fun instead of a BIG cake:)Thank you both for inspiring me to make this cake.

Thursday, July 20, 2017

Shasta Daisies,Hostas,Bluebells ,wild and invasive and tall,Geranium Rozanne somewhere in there;),and sedums..the bleeding hearts and Irises are done..this is where that small garden is.coming up to the front steps..

Lost in the giant Nicotinas..giants!!Some sunshine..some humidity..some clouds..

The Earth Does Laugh In Flowers..Our town is dotted w/ so many flowers..The ditch lillies line the streets.. along shore road..up and down side streets..the hostas are blooming like crazy..banner yr for Shasta Daisies,Hydrangeas and Astilbes..all water lovers I guess..more than drought:)It's really just maintenance at this point..like cutting down many Irises..the feverfews..adding chicken manure here and there;)Painting and Stitching and Baking in between..Do try Susan's pie while rhubarb and strawberries are so fresh~Jacques loved it.I see all the errors of my ways but what a fun stitching project right here..I will make again and again..watching her of course..I am visual for crochet..I started a few Christmas ornaments from a new seller..:(NOT at all like Alicia's..however they will be gifted..w/ a bit of discomfort..there is no way I could get them to look ok..one for each recipient..get ready to laugh:(I loved the little ritual of making Tea Forte iced tea..and was thrilled to make some for Noah after swimming..I made some for his mom..and his auntie..Noah said ..:"It tastes like pee"..we heard tea and said it is supposed to..he said..no..pee..LOL and so much for my little feminine ritual.Even my girls weren't enchanted..I think my enchantment meter is very low...I get enchanted easily.I just love that photo Caro took of me..because in reality I can't stand to see photos of me that are posed for more reasons than one.I love taking photographs..and am respectful of those who don't want their photo taken..I like spur of the moment when someone doesn't know..and then I show them..well apart from my girls and their friends that can smile so genuinely on demand and cannot take bad photos..never send family and friends bad photos of themselves..never lol..I even keep some from J and family if they are not flattering..why?ok back to the pic.I love it.Tried painting it and tried thrice..)Bottom left Artist loft sketchbook..plain paper not watercolor..Van Gogh..watercolors~Top left a journal I love..watercolor paper Field 6x6..Daniel Smith watercolors~bottom right a paper from Sennelier in Paris ♥ ILOVEDTHATSTORE...and the large Kuretake Gansai Tambi watercolor set I have~

Have I mentioned I love the quietude of painting?:)Zen..meditation..calm..all in one♥AS far as paints go..I seem to find qualities in all..and in papers also..for certain..I feel better w/ a watercolor paper though.A little old nana playing w/ her paints and cotton yarn and chickens;)Gardening and baking in between..reading takes such a back seat in summer..Today we have Lucas time and I am so looking forward to seeing our big boy♥Take care..enjoy the coming weekend..